‘Odisha Bachao Samavesh’ : Kharge to address rally in Bhubaneswar today

Bhubaneswar: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will address a mega rally in Bhubaneswar on January 29. State Congress president Sarat Pattanayak on Saturday said the party was making all efforts to make Kharge’s visit to Odisha a ‘’grand success’’.

He said the ‘Odisha Bachao Samavesh’ will be held at Lower PMG Square of the city. Kharge’s maiden visit to the State as Congress president is expected to give an impetus to party workers before the full-fledged campaign for the elections begins, Pattanayak said.

He claimed that the political situation in the State was ‘’favourable’’ for the Congress as both the ruling BJD and Opposition BJP were ‘’working together’’.

As both the BJD and the BJP are ‘’hand in gloves with each other’’, the Congress is the lone Opposition party here, he claimed.

‘Kharge ji is coming to show the way on how to defeat both the BJD and BJP, and change the political landscape of Odisha,’’ Pattanayak said. Apart from addressing the rally, Kharge will meet senior Congress leaders, and representatives of other parties in the Opposition bloc INDIA, he said.

Pattanayak said the Congress president would hold discussions with State party leaders about the route of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Odisha and also review its preparations.

Claiming the central leaders of the party have zeroed in on Odisha to bring a political change in the State, Pattanayak expressed confidence that Kharge’s visit will bolster the confidence of the party workers to put up a strong fight against the ruling BJD in the elections.